Improvement in folding chairs



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN E. WAKEFIELD, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO EDWARD W. VAILLOF SAME PLACE.

III/IPRovI-:IvII-:NT IN FOLDING CHAIRS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 179,981, dated July 18, 1876; application filed March 13, 1876.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN E. WAKEFIELD,

l of Worcester, in the State of Massachusetts,

4folding X-legs, a back, and a rigid seat or seat-frame, that is hinged to the front legs, and connected to the back legs b v links that swing downwardly, carrying with them the back ofthe seat as said seat is moved backwardly between the side pieces of the back, so as to turn such seat down into a position adjacent to the back legs, and fold the chair into a very sInall space. Links can also be connected with the back to swing the seat upwardly.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a section, Vertically, otl the chair, as opened outfor use. Fig. 2 is a rear View ot' the chair as opened; and Fig. 3 is a side view ofthe chair folded.

The back-frame is formed of the side pieces a and cross-pieces b, and said side pieces a extendiorward and form the front legs. The buck legs c are pivoted to the legs a at d, and fold in the usual manner with chairs having X-legs. The seat orseat-frainefis rigid, and it is united by the hiIIge-pieces g to the upper ends ot' the back legs c, and by the links h to the back-frame or upper part ofthe front legs. These links are pivoted at the lower ends to o, and at the upper ends to the seat or seatframe 5 hence, as the chair is folded these links swing backwardly and downwardly, carrying with them the back part of the seat until it is brought into proximity to the back legs, and occupies very little space.

The seat-frame is of a width to pass freely through between the side pieces a a of the back, and there are stops t' upon the back that come in contact with the side lpieces a, to prevent the seat and back separating when the latter is leaned against.

By notching these side pieces a so that the stops t' enter into such notches, the pressure upon the seat tends to bind all the parts firmly, because the X-legs produce tension to draw the seat forward, and keep the stops in the notches, and the weight upon the seat presses the stops upon the bottom of the notches. Furthermore, when the chair is moved by taking hold of either the back or the seat, as usual, the parts remain in position, and there is no tendency to move any one part upon another. v

I claim as my invention- The combination, in a chair having folding X-legs and back, of a seat of a 'width to pass between the side pieces ot' the back, pivoted at the upper frontends ofthe back legs, united by links l1, to the front legs, and providedwith stops t, to limit the movement of the seat, substantially as set forth.

Signed by Ine this 8th day of March, 1876.

JOHN E. WAKEFIEIJD. Witnesses:

0. S. GORDON, A. B. DUNBAR. 

